Douglas Thompson (Photo: OCPO)
The man who rear-ended a Toms River motorist, killing him, registered a Breathalyzer reading of more than twice the legal limit, officials said, as they announced charges against the Jackson man.
Douglas Thompson, 55, of Jackson, was indicted yesterday, Feb. 5, on charges of vehicular homicide, strict liability vehicular homicide, causing death to another while driving and driving with a suspended license.
The Oct. 15, 2019 accident occurred at the intersection of Route 9 and Stevens Road. Thomas Marciano, 65, of Toms River, was stopped behind another car while making a left-hand turn when he was struck from behind by a vehicle operated by Thompson, prosecutors allege. Marciano was transported to Community Medical Center and was subsequently flown to Jersey Shore Medical Center due to the gravity of his injuries and succumbed to those injuries on Oct. 28, 2019.
After the crash, Thompson submitted to chemical breath test which revealed a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .17 percent – more than double the legal limit under New Jersey law. He was initially charged with DWI, then vehicular homicide in the days just after Marciano’s death.
